Nikon

Nikon Holds Equipment Hostage Accusing "Impact Damage" to Get Out of Warranty

Posted by don6890 on 11/21/2013

Rating: 2/51

MELVILLE, TENNESSEE -- On 4/23/2012 my favorite Nikon 24-70 f2.8 G lens was bumped against a piece of drywall, and now needed a new filter ring. Iâd been putting off purchasing a new rubber grip, but was otherwise performing 100% up to my expectations and my favorite lens.

In September of 2011, I decided I finally had a short window of time to work on lens, and called and spoke with Terrell S. @ Nikon support and asked to purchase (2) $20 parts to replace the filter ring on my 24-70 and was informed that I could no longer order them, and had no option other than sending lens into be repaired in-house. (Thank goodness we can go order parts for our cars, otherwise weâd have to take them to the dealership every time we needed a new headlight bulb)

On 10/31/12 I sent the lens in to have the ring and grip replaced, received estimate for $772 related to âimpact Damageâ - the lens had never been dropped or even made a funny noise or been stiff ever.

On Jan 31st, 2013 after over 20 emails and 15 phone calls, I finally gave up and simply paid them at a discounted rate ($621.02) and didnât receive my lens back until the first week of March.

I began using lens in March and quickly noticed that focusing seemed a little âoffâ but in the busy wedding season I simply blamed perhaps user error or maybe camera settings (fine-tuning on body)

On June 2nd, 2013 I sent Nikon service a message stating that the lens was indeed still having problems and that I was VERY unhappy considering that the lens was working better PRIOR to my simple attempts to purchase the filter ring which ended up costing me $621.

ALL NIKON SERVICE has a 6-month warranty and June 2 is less than 6 months from March.

I finally (after extensive testing and experimentation) submitted sample images (quite a while later due to some family and travel related issues) but it was confirmed that the lens was still in need of service.

At least this time I got a loaner lens (which seems to be banged up worse than any of my lenses, but at least it focuses properly) - I sent my poor lens off again on 11/11/2013 and Now, Iâve been given the same exact run-around - theyâre accusing me of Impact damage (a second time??) and sent me an estimate for $640 on 11/16/13

This is heinous - Iâll be selling all my Nikon gear and switching to canon. It breaks my heart as Iâve always been a die-hard Nikon fanboy, but canât keep getting mistreated. Now, like a battered spouse, Iâm TERRIFIED of having to send in any of my other lenses, for fear theyâll accuse me of âIMPACT DAMAGEâ again.

What are we professionals to do? $2300 lens and just a filter ring and rubber grip are about to cost me $1250 and over 40 hours of time sending emails, phone calls etc - just trying to get treated as though weâve spent $20k in equipment.

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Nikon customer support / Nikon D80

Posted by musty153 on 11/16/2010

Let me start by saying that I loved my Nikon D80. Great camera that took incredible shots - when it worked. Lens 18-200 went in for repair 2X under warranty with auto focus lock issues. After that, body goes down with an error message. Camera had less than 5 maybe 600 actuation's at most and was cared for very well.

I call Nikon repair in Melville NY and start the out of warranty repair incident from hell. After about 2 weeks I get a repair estimate for close to $200.00 with shipping. Speak with customer support who informs me that there is a shutter connection problem and that I need to authorize the repair and charge. I ask for a courtesy repair seeing that my system was already in their repair facility 2X which they politely refused.

I then inquire as to the warranty on the repair and informed that the repair is warranted for 6 months (it might have been less). When asked to see this in writing: answer - customer service states that Nikon does not put this in writing. "It's just something we honor and do". Are you kidding me? A multimillion Co. Nikon providing me with a verbal extended warranty agreement? Should have known what was coming next, but they had my camera and I already paid for shipping so I authorize the charge.

Almost a month goes by and no camera. Call Nikon service again in Melville and told that the part is not in yet and possibly not in the Country. I say again - A multimillion dollar Co. Nikon with no repair parts in the US for my camera after almost a month. I leave a message with Management same day and get a response later stating the part is now in and camera will be fixed shortly - magic FedEx I guess.

Camera is returned with a happy customer? - WRONG... Camera comes back with broken housing and flash. I call Melville Nikon customer support again and ask to speak with a supervisor. Almost 30 min on hold and then I CLEARLY explain the damage, which I even offer up as a possible shipping issue between customer and merchant. Manager states that they want the camera back and will pay for shipping + expedite and possibly swap out after all of the aggravation. Camera sent back and guess what happens next? Yup - I get another bill from Nikon for exactly the same amount (down to the penny for housing/flash repair damage) as the previous bill for an internal shutter issue. Best part, this damage was CLEARLY noted with Nikon management and was not my fault which is why the manager offered to ship it back at their cost.

Call Nikon customer service again in Melville NY. They pull up the invoice and the notes taken from the manager. I'm informed that the notes have no information whatsoever as to the damage upon receipt claim and that only a flash issue was mentioned. Again - are you kidding me? That's why I friggin called!!! They were happy to report though that the camera had impact damage and what the charges were. Holy $%^&!! Really???

I'm then told that they now have to send the new info back up to management to see if the repair will be done as a courtesy. I decided not to say out loud what I was thinking and I am once again without my camera.

As mentioned in a previous negative Nikon service issue, my intent with this complaint is not to sway your purchase decision but to help you make a more informed one after seeing what I and other customers have gone through. Warranty/out of warranty issues may be handled better by other Nikon repair facilities and the shots taken with my D80 (when it worked) were all without complaint. Unfortunately, Nikon's after sales support and repair history left me a very unhappy Nikon owner.

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Beware of Nikon Customer Service

Posted by Anemo on 07/16/2009

I have found Nikon to be an excellent camera in the past when I used a SLR (non-digital) to document incoming gas turbine equipment back in the 70s. That camera was a workhorse and tough. In most cases, Nikon is probably a good or even great camera. The problem is in the reliability of the product. If you get a good camera, you are fortunate. If, however, you get a bad camera, look out. I have had the misfortune of getting a bad camera (D80) the first time I purchased a Nikon. It took great pictures for a while and then became totally unpredictable, taking pictures one time and then nothing the next. To me, it seems to be an electrical problem. If it were mechanical, it would probably stay non-functional once the component broke.

I have found that once you get into the after market or service part of Nikon you will have a very hard time getting them to communicate with you. They do not send you any feedback on your equipment other than a form letter (e-mail) stating they have your camera and it is being looked at. In my case, had I not gone on line and followed an ambiguous trail entering code numbers and initials I would not have learned of my cameras status. They provide no time frame for completion dates, shipping or anything else. The first two times I returned the camera it simply showed up on my porch one day around a month later. To be fair, they do provide expedited shipping to and from their facility....if you push them. Of course, once the camera is received by them it goes into this black, unresponsive hole.

I have returned my D80 three times for warranty repair. The first time it came back worse than when I sent it. The second time it worked for a day and went out again. I have pretty much lost the spring and summer opportunities for shooting. Very frustrating, especially when they fail to communicate or respond to your being inconvenienced by their poor workmanship.

Two days ago, I checked on the status and, after following the convoluted trail to get the status, found the code that means they are replacing the camera. No letter of apology stating they are sorry for the inconvenience. No "we will get you a new product ASAP". No nothing. This is not a good way to run a company. Their corporate philosophy is interesting in that nowhere in it does it use the word quality. Now I am beginning to see why. They do mention meeting customer needs and expectations. That philosophy seems to end on their website. See for yourself here; http://www.nikon.com/about/info/philosophy/index.htm

A neighbor friend of mine had an even worse experience with his Nikon. His replacement camera (first camera was sent back three times as well) failed! Unbelievable.

The bottom line is, if I had to do it again I probably would not buy a Nikon. I need reliability and a company that responds to its customer's needs.

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Bad Service And Support

Posted by Marek on 06/03/2008

MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA -- This is how Nikon Customer Service handles complaints and how the authorized service centres do the repairs.

-------------------------------
...email from Nikon Customer Support in answer to my complains....
-------------------------------

Hi again,
All service inquires can be made at the links below, as we deal more with general support and primarily software on the site.
Any complaint can be made through the service area.
Nikon Service can be contacted on the below E-mail
service@nikon.com.au
The phone contact is 02 8748 5222 direct
To find a Service Center near you go to this link on the Nikon Web site http://www.nikon.com.au/servicecentres.php?countrycode=au

(above link is down!!!)

-----------------------------

Customer (Marek ....) 02/06/2008 07.33 PM

(this is my complaint submitted online)

I would like to ask you as Nikon Corporation to explain to me why in the first place my camera needed service and the second why your authorized service point instead of fixing it made it worse than it was.

I am proud owner of Nikon equipment since I can remember and I never did have any problems until I decided do go for new digital equipment. As first digital camera I did buy D70S long time ago. Then after years of happy use I decided to go for D200. Because I was happy with my F65 and F80 and F100 and my D70S then I decided to buy new lenses for my D200 and new speed lights, etc. I probably would be happy until today if I would not decide to go for D200. First I do not know why the camera did have hot and dead pixels. Second when I did buy new lenses I did find dust inside. I did check few lenses in the shop and all of them were dusty. So when finally the shop staff did find one with reasonable amount of “DUST” inside I did have to pick it up from another shop in the city. It sounds crazy but I have lost around 4h of my time to get a lens which could be accepted as “clean”. When I have decided to go for next lens the problem did not exist because the shop staff already picked “clean” lens for me. By clean I understand lens which can be accepted as reasonable condition. I didn’t buy the third lens from Nikon because I think that it is just too expensive to get a product for $1500 with fungus inside. So I did buy Sigma and I am very happy since, it took $2000 but is crystal clean and rock solid.

Camera. It is very nice of you to sell the camera to me and I appreciate your afford put into the product and its quality but I do not appreciate when my camera ($2950 at the time I bought it) has hot pixels and when I can see it on every picture. I have decided to not try to fix it because I think that as long as I can live with the problem it is better to avoid service centres. And I was right as far as I can see. After 1.5 year of using my camera I have got tired of PSing with the faulty pixels on pictures and I did take it to the service. Very nice lady took the equipment and as I was told later on the camera just needed pixels remapping. So they did it and I have got my camera back – it took “only” 5 weeks but I didn’t say anything. 15 working days is not 5 weeks. When I did get my camera back I did take one shot, looked on the screen and when I did find that my big ugly red spot has disappeared then I did put the camera to the cabinet because I was using my other film camera at this time. After 10 days I took my nice freshly fixed D200 and gave it a huge kiss and took few pictures. Guess what my disappointment was, when I did find that freshly charged battery did die after few minutes.

I did take next battery then and this one died even faster than the previous one. I did charge my batteries again and gave it next try. I did find that the problem was fixed for short time when I remove and put back the memory card. So I did reformat it and everything in this matter came back to normal. I do not know if it was a problem after CCD cleaning or some fault in program and I do not know if card format did fix it or is it just temporary. Next problem I have is PC mode when I put my camera into USB port. The camera used to show PC mode and I could download the pictures. Now after the service the camera is alive and I can take pictures while it is connected to PC. The PC mode blinks only when I remove pictures from the camera using PC. So after that I did get unhappy and rung the service to find out what could have caused the problem and if I could fix it somehow. Unfortunately I was treated very badly by the receptionists and told that I need to bring it back and they will fix it and I will have to pay for it. The lady was very unfriendly and treated me as some kind of intruder. So I gave up and rung them again in half an hour with the same polite question what can be done about my problem.

So as I spoke with some other lady I was told that I need to bring my camera back to them and they will have a look. If they find that there is another fault on the camera than they will have to charge me for the service because they didn’t touch this part of equipment. My question is why after the service the faults have multiplied and one fixed fault is resulting in two new ones. I want to know why I need to drive 40km again during my working hours and hope that they will fix it and not charge me. At first stage of this history you as Nikon didn’t check the quality of the product. If the dead pixels and hot pixels can be fixed by software remapping in the service point why it wasn’t done in the factory? Second why the quality checks are so poor in your factories? Why do I have to deal with a problem which should not exist in the first place and then why the service point is so unfriendly and is waiting for my dollars but is not providing professional service as it should.

I am not going to take my camera there because I am afraid that it will not be fixed and it may do more strange things after they touch it and they will charge me extra for the things they break. I do not need any more “Special Features” in my camera. It is not acceptable to provide such service to your loyal customers and order more money for fixing equipment which should be never faulty. I wanted to go for D300 but I think I will sell my Nikon camera and go for another make because obviously you go down in quality and you provide bad service. Now I am stuck with faulty camera with no hope to get it fixed. I am not going to waste my time on travel because no one pays for it. If the service point is providing such poor quality of their work they should pay for a courier to pick it up from my house and then send it back when it is fixed. I am very unhappy with your quality of the product and the service. I would like to get an answer to these questions and please let me know what you as Nikon Corporation are going to do about this situation.

(Service Centre is Camera Clinic in Melbourne Australia)

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I wish I had never bought a Nikon

Posted by katezki on 02/11/2010

I had bought a Coolpix S610c series camera. After two months of use it would no longer take pictures, displaying a "lens error" screen. I sent it in for repair after speaking to a customer service representative who explained that it would take 7-10 business days for repair. I felt this was perfect because I was leaving to go back to school in the Caribbean in 3 weeks, so I would have my camera back in time. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
I kept trying to track the status on their website and it was not updating. 3 weeks later, right before I was about to go back to school I called the company and they said that they were waiting for a part to come in for the replacement. I asked why it was taking so long and they said that it is coming from Japan and could take anywhere from 3 weeks to a month. I asked why they do not inform customers that if a part is needed to be ordered it could take longer and they replied with, "it usually takes 7 to 10 business days." When I replied "clearly, that is not always the case though," they could not come up with a response.
For another month I had to hound them for an estimated time I would be receiving my camera again. Every time they said they would e-mail me back a response they did not- a total of 3 or 4 times. Finally, I called an demanded to speak to a supervisor who took over the case and finally found out when the part would be in and claimed she would express ship it to me via UPS.
I received an e-mail eventually stating it would be at the post office on Friday and I would be e-mailed the UPS tracking number. The Wednesday after the company claimed my camera would be at the post office I still had no tracking number, and the way the post office here works it is a necessity to pick up your package because they will not alert you when it is here. Again I called and again I was told I would be e-mailed the number because they "did not have it yet" which is ridiculous because UPS gives your tracking number immediately. Again I called back and was promised another e-mail, which I refused to believe and spoke to a supervisor. So as of now, I sent my camera in for a repair that I was told would take 7-10 business days... 2 months ago. The only way I was able to get answers from this company was when I got irritated and started yelling and demanding things, and who wants that kind of stress. I would never, ever, ever, EVER recommend Nikon due to this experience. They give you the run around and then act like it is beyond their control to help you. It is not customer service if they do not do what they say they will. This company literally disgusts me.

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Buyer Beware!!!

Posted by Jenny1 on 07/08/2009

I received a Nikon Coolpix camera for Christmas and found it to be pretty user friendly and took good pictures. I did however have a problem with the camera (battery not holding charge, camera taking blurry pics, and randomly snapping pics) after a few months but was not concerned because it was covered by a year manufacture warranty. I called Nikon and got less than helpful service from the customer service dept. They did ask that I send the camera in to be looked at and probably would need repair. Then about a week later I received an email informing me that my repairs would not be covered by my warranty and my warranty as far as they were concerned was void. I was quite upset since I had only had the camera a few months and not done any damage to the camera. I again spoke with a different customer service representative who was quite short with me and said the repair dept reported that the camera needed repair but due to the external damage to the camera my warranty was completely void. I asked what damage the camera had since I did not send a camera with any damage. His reply was that there were minor scratches observed on the exterior of the camera. I explained that I have a 1 year old daughter and take lots of pictures and the camera had normal wear from being in and out of my purse but no major damage to it. He informed me that only cameras that remain in “mint condition” absolutely no scratches or any kind of wear are covered under the warranty. Nikon puts unrealistic limitations on their warranty as a way of not upholding their warranty and forcing the customer to pay for repairs. I am not fixing the camera and will go back to a Canon!!!!!

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Nikon Service is a joke

Posted by CrazieDan on 04/17/2006

FORT COLLINS, COLORADO -- I recently bought a Nikon Coolpix S1 camera... after using it for only a couple of weeks, the camera had become useless.

I had let it sit for a couple of days in the charger base. The next time I went to use the camera, there was liquid leaking from inside the camera... I am assuming that this liquid was coming from the liquid crystal display. The camera and charger base was sitting where it was impossible for the camera to be exposed to external liquids, or even humidity and condensation. Also... the liquid was coming from inside the camera, there was no moisture on the outside.

However, after sending the camera to Nikon for service... they, of course, denied the warranty due to "water damage" Nevermind the fact that the liquid was coming from INSIDE! the camera itself!

Anybody who reads this I would caution you to be aware that Nikon's warranty concerning "water damage" obviously includes leaking liquid from the camera itself!

So, I then received a bill for repair of the camera which was over 2/3 of the overall price I had paid for the camera. After several irate calls to Nikon's service department, in which I explained over and over to no avail, that the camera was never exposed to external liquids, that the liquid was coming from inside the camera!!!! Not only would they not warranty my camera, they insisted on calling me a liar by asserting that the camera had been exposed to an external source of moisture... as I KNOW FOR A FACT IT NEVER WAS!!! They eventually decided that the camera couldn't even be repaired at all and sent it back to me AS IS.

I WILL NEVER EVER OWN ANOTHER NIKON PRODUCT EVER AGAIN... as I do not appreciate being screwed out of $300 and being called a liar! I would stress to everybody not to deal with this company, as their service warranty and repair is, quite frankly, rude, intolerable and has quite questionable ethics.

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Defective Camera-Nikon Refuses To Do Right Thing!

Posted by lexiegram on 08/03/2012

Rating: 1/51

NEW YORK -- I purchased a Nikon L-820 which took horrible, blurry pictures. Camera was under 1 yr warranty. Returned camera at my expense, and did not hear a thing from Nikon for 5 weeks. I was then told they were waiting for parts. Long wait-where do these parts come from-China or Japan? After arguing with them over the excessive wait, they sent me another defective camera, the L-810. Contacted Nikon-again, and they requested sample pics. I sent them 8 pics to Mr. David [snip] (all about customer service, ha ha-what a joke) and he accused me of editing the pics. What a dork, what do they think, I have all day to send emails, make phone calls, take blurry pics, and forward them to a company that then accuses me of editing the pictures? I just want a damn camera that works. I paid $300.00 for the original camera, and still do not have a working camera. Nikon refused to give me a refund or allow me to pay the difference for a better camera. Nikon is fine-as long as you get a fully, functional camera, but if you don't-you're screwed, cause Nikon will not do a thing to make it right. I'm making a complaint with BBB, Attorney General and FTC!

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Worst customer out there, BUYERS BEWARE!!

Posted by Lindsay on 01/28/2012

For my birthday I received a digital camera a Nikon Coolpix S6100, the quality of this is complete junk, touch screen doesn't function properly and the picture quality is awful the worst of any digital camera I've used in the past. All the images come out orange, I've read the manual I've adjusted settings, this camera is simply defective! Yes Nikon you need to admit you sold a defective product, it happens; and as a customer I'm understanding that defects happen. What is not acceptable is how I was treated by Nikon's customer service departnment when calling in on my defective camera, one of the most rude customer service departments I've ever dealt with. I was told to send it in and they'll "look at it" and to send in copies of pictures I took that were orange, how inconvient. All I wanted to do was exchange my defective camera, really Nikon that's how you treat your customers? Unacceptable!

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Save Your money don't buy Nikon S710 is Junk!!!!

Posted by azbobs on 10/19/2009

Hello,
I was very excited when I first bought my Nikon in Jan 2009 for our 25th Anniversary. I know it was on the expensive side I was going to buy a Cannon live and learn. My boss said he had one and was working well for him at the time. Well I went on our trip for our Anniversary and wanted something light to take that would keep those special memories. Well I took about 15 pictures and started getting a lens error, which I now know is very common! My bosses started doing it too a month after mine did. So anyway, I ended up buying a Kodak throw away to capture our specials moments. I was not happy to say the least.
I thought well things happened and sent it back they repaired it and said this was a common error. Asked where I lived I said Arizona and they said oh that is why due to the dust! I babied this camera, it was in a nice case, and I was not dirty at all. I received my camera and it worked for a month then went to the NASCAR races and guess what? I got the ole lens error again, so this time no pictures were taken at all! Sent it back and the support is just awful cannot hardly understand the techs, must been from India! Received the camera after spending $100 they said the body had a small dent?? There were no dents when I sent it to them I took very good care of it.
Now the flash is not working most of the time. They told me it was due to a bad battery, right! So bought a new battery and still the same. So now, I have to send it off again and I am sure they will come up with something to charge me with. The sad thing is I bought the extended warranty. Buyers beware stay away from NIKON. The service that I have received from the Nikon repair department is pathetic. I will never buy another NIKON product! What a shame I mainly bought it because it had such a high pixel waiting and thought they made good cameraâs I now know I was wrong!